IEEE 802.11 is a working group wihin the IEEE.
You can read this post about IEEE.
802.11 operate in OSI level 1 (physical) and 2 (data link).
IEEE 802.11 Concepts
Service Set Identifier (SSID) is a alphanumeric string that identifies a network.
It maximum length is 32 characters and it is case-sensitive.
IEEE 802.11 Protocols
802.11 family protocols:
- 802.11
- 802.11b
- 802.11a
- 802.11g
- 802.11n
- 802.11ac
- 802.11ax
- 802.11be
- 802.11bn
802.11
802.11 is retroactively named Wi-Fi 0.
It uses 2.4 GHz frequency only.
802.11b
802.11b is retroactively named Wi-Fi 1.
It operates in the 2.4 GHz band only, where there are 3 non-overlapping channels (channels 1, 6, and 11 in most regions).
802.11a
802.11a is retroactively named Wi-Fi 2.
It operates in the 5 GHz frequency band.
It has a maximum theoretical speed of 54 Mbps.
802.11g
802.11g is is retroactively named Wi-Fi 3.
t operates in the 2.4 GHz frequency band only.
It uses the modulation scheme OFDM and its maximum speed is 54 Mbps.
802.11n
802.11n is also known as Wi-Fi 4.
It can use both the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz frequency bands (dual-band capability).
802.11ac
802.11ac is also known as Wi-Fi 5.
It uses modulation 256 QAM.
It uses 5 GHz frequency only.
802.11ax
802.11ax is also known as Wi-Fi 6 and Wi-Fi 6E.
Wi-Fi 6 works in bands 2.4 and 5 GHz.
Wi-Fi 6E works in bands 2.4, 5 and 6 GHz.
It allows 1024 QAM.
It improves efficiency on dense environments.
802.11be
802.11be is also known as Wi-Fi 7.
It works in bands 2.4, 5 and 6 GHz.
802.11bn
802.11bn is also known as Wi-Fi 8.
It works in bands 2.4, 5 and 6 GHz.
Overview
| Gen | IEEE standard | Adopted | Maximum link rate (Mb/s) | Radio Frequency (GHz) | Modulation Scheme |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| (0) | – | 2 | 2.4 | ||
| (1) | b | 11 | 2.4 | ||
| (2) | a | 54 | 5 | ||
| (3) | g | 54 | 2.4 | OFDM | |
| (4) | n | 600 | 2.4, 5 | ||
| 5 | ac | 9633 | 5 | 256 QAM | |
| 6 | ax | 9608 | 2.4, 5 | ||
| 6E | ax | 9608 | 2.4, 5, 6 | ||
| 7 | be | 23,059 | 2.4, 5, 6 | ||
| 8 | bn | 100,000 | 2.4, 5, 6 |